The Winter Soldier Moves in
by Utdragongirl
Summary: After SHIELD has been taken down, Steve Rogers needs to find a new place to stay. However, as does his old friend, Bucky. Tony had offered Steve a place to stay, but had no idea that the Winter Soldier would be tagging along. Will Tony allow them both to stay after all?
1. Chapter 1

Tony walked down the hall, where Steve was waiting. Tony had recently decided to house the Avengers in his nice tall tower. Especially since SHIELD fell to pieces. He already had Banner in his own lab, which was a start. Thor came down once in a while to visit and vacation there. However, now that SHIELD was exposed and practically destroyed, Steve felt the need to find a new place, and Stark Tower was the closest thing he had to a home.

Steve was sitting in the waiting room of the office area, reading a magazine. Tony had urged him before to just use the elevator to come up to the penthouse whenever he wanted, but Steve felt awkward about it. So, Steve continued to visit through the appointment office and waited in the waiting area, reading the same magazine, but always a different issue.

"You know, it would be so much easier for all of us if you just used the damned elevator," Tony sighed with his arms crossed, leaning against the secretary's desk. Steve looked up and smiled before putting down the magazine.

"It's good to see you, too," Steve murmured before shaking Tony's hand.

"So, you finally decided to move in?" Tony asked, taking Steve further into the building. Steve shrugged.

"I don't have anywhere else to go," Steve admitted, glancing around. "Who else have you recruited?"

"Banner is always in his lab, but Thor comes and goes. The staff have mentioned seeing Barton in some of the rafters, but I've never seen him. Romanoff is off somewhere doing who knows what," Tony explained before sighing. "Coulson's on his little missions of his."

"Coulson? Phil Coulson?" Steve asked, surprised.

"Do you know another?"

"He's alive?" Steve whispered incredulously. Tony only shrugged.

"According to SHIELD records, he is," Tony answered as Steve looked at the ground shocked. Tony pursed his lips. "It was a top secret project that saved him. Highly dangerous and secretive."

"And who told you this?" Steve whispered.

"JARVIS hacked into the system after Romanoff spilled the beans. I heard rumors going around that Coulson wasn't dead, but I needed to know that Nick wasn't hiding something," Tony replied, making Steve laugh.

"Still bending the rules, I see," Steve murmured, shaking his head. Tony smiled and sighed.

"It's what I do best. And hey, sorry about Fury. I saw that he died," Tony added as Steve shrugged, knowing not to give away the secret.

"Yeah, he was a good man. He's in a better place, though," Steve replied strongly. Tony knew that Nick was still alive, as he couldn't see Fury going down so easily. Tony shook his head and sighed.

"So, where's your stuff? I told you that you could move in at any time," Tony reminded as Steve nodded.

"Yeah, about that, I do have a question. How far does that offer extend?"

"Meaning?"

"I actually bumped into an old friend the other day, and he needs a place to stay, too-" Steve began before Tony cut him off.

"No, no old friends. I don't want a bunch of geezers in my tower," Tony informed as Steve rolled his eyes.

"He's not a geezer. But he is from my time."

"I'm not following," Tony whispered, very confused. Steve explained the circumstances of his old friend and explained how he needed help adjusting. Tony carefully listened, which was something he didn't do every day. However, this story was interesting and he was wondering why Steve would even bring it up. "No way."

"Why not?" Steve asked, knowing that that answer would come up.

"Steve, this man is the reason why SHIELD doesn't exist anymore. He killed Nick, nearly killed you. Why on earth would I want him near my tower?" Tony asked as Steve sighed.

"He's still in there, and Hydra has wiped his mind so many times, that he doesn't remember who he is," Steve answered, taking a deep breath. Tony rubbed his brow in thought.

"What's his name?"

"Bucky Barnes. He deserves a second chance, Tony. He deserves more than what he got," Steve asked as something clicked in Tony's head.

"Barnes. Barnes. I know that name from somewhere," Tony whispered as Steve rolled his eyes.

"He was my only friend when I was a kid," Steve reminded, thinking that Tony had gone crazy. Tony turned around, pointing at Steve.

"Was this guy called the Winter Soldier?" Tony demanded as Steve narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Was he?"

"Yeah, but I don't see the correlation there."

"There is no way that man is staying under my roof, Steve!"

"Did Tasha talk to you or something? No one has ever heard of the Winter Soldier," Steve groaned, thinking that this was ridiculous. Tony straightened and shook his head.

"No, I've heard of him. Do you know how my parents died? In a car crash. Many people accredited it to drunk driving or reckless driving or whatever. There was one newspaper that was different, and it was deemed unreliable after the story about my parents was published. They believed that the car was sabotaged and was meant to crash because Hydra was onto them. And the Winter Soldier was the reason why they died," Tony informed as Steve said nothing. He had heard it from the computerized German scientist, but refused to believe it until now.

"Bucky can change, Tony. I've seen it in his eyes," Steve reassured as Tony rolled his eyes.

"You've seen it in his eyes? What, did he spare your life or something?" Tony demanded as Steve said nothing. Tony groaned. "Oh lord. Steve, I doubt what he did was spare your life. He probably thought he should save killing you for another day."

"Won't you at least talk to him first?" Steve asked as Tony stared at him.

"Why? Why should I get near him?" Tony demanded, upset.

"Because what you see might surprise you," Steve replied softly before Tony bit his lip. Steve rarely told lies. That was a part of who he was. Tony took a deep breath and nodded.

"Fine, I'll talk to him, but I'll give him five minutes," Tony compromised as Steve smiled. He pulled out an old fashion radio and told Bucky that it was okay to come in. Tony stared at the radio, astonished that Steve hadn't learned to use a cell phone yet. Tony later commented on this, but Steve said nothing. He still wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of mobile phones.

Soon, Bucky appeared in the elevator and walked toward Steve, unsure of Tony. Steve clasped a trusting hand onto Bucky's shoulder with a smile.

"See?" Steve asked as Bucky looked around. Even for being in the future, Bucky thought that this place was beyond ridiculous. Tony crossed his arms, still needing more proof.

"I'm Tony Stark," Tony introduced, finally outstretching his hand in greeting. Bucky only stared at him with saddened eyes. "What?"

"I am sorry," he whispered before looking at the ground. Tony pursed his lips and retracted his hand. "I was under orders."

"I see," Tony whispered, staring at Steve.

"Look, Tony, he's been through a lot. Hydra brain washed him and tortured him. He didn't recognize me for the longest time," Steve added as Tony sighed. Bucky looked up again, wondering what Tony's reaction would be.

"That doesn't excuse the fact that he killed my parents and your friends," Tony answered as Bucky and Steve slumped, disappointed. "However, I think I need some proof that he has changed. Barnes gets a three month trial period. Any homicidal or maniac actions will get him kicked out."

"I am not a maniac," Bucky whispered, offended by his words.

"Then prove it," Tony answered with a shrug. Bucky stared at him, realizing that this was his way of giving him a chance. It was unusual, but it was genuine.

"Well, when do we get to move in?" Steve asked, excited that his life was finally coming together since he got out of the ice. Tony motioned them to follow him.

"I'll show you where the apartments are and you can move in whenever," Tony answered, leading them to the elevator. Bucky glanced over at Steve, completely out of his element. Steve seemed confident and at ease, which he found strange. Steve was never this laid back. Back before the war, he was always on the lookout for bullies, or fights. Even during the war, he was worried about everything. Anything and everything made him worried and concerned. But now, Steve seemed in control and almost content.

Tony weaved in and out of hallways, making Bucky more nervous. He didn't want to live in a maze where he might never get out again. However, Tony stopped at the end of a corridor and typed in a key code for the door. It unlocked and Tony held it open.

"What is this place?" Steve asked, walking in. It was a large area, similar to a hotel lobby, except without the checkout desk and gift shops. Tony closed the door again and looked around.

"This is the commons area. I thought it might be nice place to hang out or whatever. It's directly below the penthouse area, where Hulk smashed Loki? Remember? Anyway, there are stairs that go directly to that area in case you need a drink or anything. There's a pool through that door and a bowling alley with billiards through that door," Tony answered, pointing around the room. Steve nodded, impressed.

"But what about the rooms?" Bucky asked, unsure what a pool was doing in a building this large. Tony nodded and turned around.

"They are more like suites or apartment studios. There are stairs over there," Tony explained, pointing to the staircase that spiraled to the second floor. "I felt a balcony overlooking the lobby area would be a nice touch. Banner lives in apartment 3 and Thor has claimed 5. Number 2 is constantly locked, so I'm assuming that Barton has claimed that one."

"I thought you didn't know if he was here," Steve reminded, surprised.

"I said I've never seen him around. However, I'm pretty sure he's up there some of the time," Tony shrugged.

"And that doesn't bother you?" Steve chuckled.

"Of course it bothers me. I have a different locksmith come in every week to see if they can unlock it. Unfortunately, no one has been able to. He's disabled the video cameras in there, but we have thermal imaging that someone lives there. Usually comes and goes through the window," Tony sighed as Steve shook his head. "But, there are only five apartments, so you and Bucko are goding to have to live together. I'm assuming that won't be an issue?"

"As long as there are two rooms, it'll be fine," Steve replied as Bucky nodded, annoyed at the nickname Tony had given him.

"There's an office space that can be turned into a bedroom. I'll have someone fix that," Tony replied before telling JARVIS to get someone. "So, which one?"

"One," Bucky informed, thinking that Barton would be the quietest neighbor and there was no one on the other side. Tony looked at Steve, who nodded, before giving him the keys.

"I'm gonna let you pick up another key for Bucko here," Tony informed as Steve sighed. "Call JARVIS if you need anything."

"Where are you going?" Steve asked, wondering what he could be doing.

"Nowhere," Tony informed before he left the lobby area. Steve looked at the keys as Bucky glared at the doorway.

"What?" Steve asked, thinking that someone else was going to come in.

"He called me Bucko," Bucky sneered as Steve shook his head, trying to hide a smile.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve opened the door to find a neat apartment, much like the one that SHIELD had provided, but with a lot more gadgets and gizmos. Steve took a deep breath as he went into the kitchen. Bucky looked around and found the television. He had seen pictures of them in ads and such, but he had never actually seen the newest models. He picked up the remote and started to flip through channels, trying to figure it out.

Steve looked at the office space compared to the main bedroom size and found them to be about equal size. There was a bathroom, but it wasn't directly connected to the main bedroom, which was good in Steve's book. When Steve came back into the living room, he found Bucky watching the Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.

"I remember," Bucky whispered, watching the characters and scenes. He had started to retain his memory slowly since Steve freed him. Bucky remembered that he had read the Lord of the Rings books in secret during high school. Steve looked at the screen and narrowed his eyes.

"You remember this?" Steve whispered.

"It's a book," Bucky replied, making Steve nod.

"I didn't know you read these books," Steve commented before Bucky shrugged. "When did you read them?"

"A long time ago," Bucky answered vaguely, unable to pinpoint exactly when. "They have left out major plot points."

"The books are always better than the movie," Steve replied, hearing that quote over and over again since he woke up from the ice. Bucky nodded, thinking that it was true so far.

"This movie isn't too bad," Bucky replied, unable to stop watching. Steve smiled and walked into the kitchen to see if there was anything to eat. As he opened the fridge he jumped back at the automated voice.

"The fridge is thirty nine degrees fahrenheit," JARVIS informed as Steve held his face in his hand while the other clutched the handle, bending the metal slightly.

"Thank you," Steve groaned before shutting it. He glanced over at Bucky, who had jumped up from his seat, ready to attack. "It's okay, Buck."

"The fridge spoke," Bucky replied, upset that the appliance might have grown a conscience.

"Yeah, Tony programmed it that way," Steve sighed, knowing that he would have to get rid of that. Bucky reluctantly sat back down, but stared at the kitchen as if he was waiting for the dishwasher to sprout legs and walk away. Steve took a deep breath and decided to take a shower.

About a half an hour later, Steve got out of the bathroom and was rubbing his hair with the towel. He paused a moment, hearing something. He glanced around the apartment and found no sign of Bucky. Steve threw the towel back into the bathroom and opened the front door. Banner had come back from the lab and was talking to Bucky downstairs. As Steve leaned over the balcony, Bruce looked up and waved.

"Hey Steve," he greeted before he turned to Bucky again. Steve climbed down the staircase, hearing their conversation about how to get used to New York. "Just be patient when you're going down the street. People usually don't like to be attacked on their way to work."

"Yeah," Bucky whispered with an attempt at a smile. Steve walked over to them as Bruce turned to him.

"You have an interesting friend here," Bruce informed as Bucky pursed his lips, not denying it. "I was just telling how to survive in New York without hurting anyone."

"He destroyed Harlem," Bucky spoke up as Bruce shrugged. Steve looked at Bruce.

"I didn't know that," Steve admitted.

"You probably could have guessed. Anyway, I want to know how you convinced Tony to let him room with you," Bruce asked as Steve shrugged.

"Asked him to give Buck here a chance. That's all," Steve answered as Bucky shrugged. Bruce glanced between the two, unsure if that was really all. "Well, he said just as long as he doesn't do anything completely crazy."

"Right. Well, I don't think you'll have anything to worry about. He seems pretty harmless right now," Bruce answered, choosing his words carefully. Bucky dipped his head, wanting to stay. "Anyway, it was nice seeing you, but I have to get back to work."

"Are you always working?" Steve inquired, worried about his friend.

"Mostly, yeah. I'm just trying to keep myself busy, like I did before. Keeps me calm," Bruce admitted before ducking into his apartment. Steve nodded and looked at Bucky.

"So how much do you know about the twenty first century?" Steve asked before Bucky raised his shoulders again.

"Not too much. I know that the cars here are a lot faster and sleeker. Movies are in color now. People dress terribly most of the time. And what is that thing on the small computers? The Interweb?" Bucky listed, looking up at Steve.

"The Internet. It's like a library on your computer or phone. Anything you want to know is at your fingertips," Steve informed as Bucky gave him a confused look.

"Why would we have the internet on phones?"

"Because some guy decided it was necessary for the world to be constantly connected with technology," Steve answered, bewildering Bucky even more. Steve shook his head. "Never mind. I'll have Tony explain that portion."

"I also know about half the stuff Howard Stark promised isn't here," Bucky informed, attempting at a joke.

"Yeah, no flying cars, unfortunately. That would be something," Steve smiled as Bucky nodded.

"And dancing isn't the popular thing to do anymore," Bucky added.

"Well, there is dancing, but not the kind we're used to. This is more jumping up and down and swaying one's hips in a way no should be able to," Steve informed, rubbing the back of his neck. Bucky pursed his lips at the thought. "Anyway, I was thinking that we could go out an explore. Get you used to civilian life again."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Bucky admitted as Steve nodded. He led Bucky downstairs, passed the help desk and onto the street. There were quite a few people walking by, which made Bucky nervous. He spent most of his life vanishing and being invisible, and he wasn't sure if he could keep that up in a crowd.

"You alright?" Steve inquired before Bucky nodded, pulling down his baseball cap. Steve took a deep breath and started walking toward the small cafe outside the tower, where there were less people.

"What is this place?" Bucky whispered, seeing so many people in ray ban glasses and scarves playing on strange devices that flipped up with a keyboard at the base.

"It's a coffee bar," Steve explained before ordering two coffees. Bucky went and sat down, staring at his surroundings. He was uncomfortable with the constant clicking of the keys and blabber of pointless calls. Steve sat across from him, looking around as well.

"What happened to the world?" Bucky muttered, glancing over at Steve, who sighed.

"It takes some getting used to," Steve admitted.

"That's an understatement," Bucky complained before the barista brought their coffees. "These are normal, right?"

"As normal as they can be. The coffee is finer than back then, but I like it," Steve reassured before raising the cup in the air. Bucky took off the lid and sniffed.

"Smells alright," Bucky murmured as a little boy came up to the table, his eyes wide and staring at Steve. Bucky looked away, scared that the kid would recognize him and slightly jealous of Steve's reputation.

"Hey, kid, what's up?" Steve asked, giving a winning smile. The boy grinned sheepishly before handing him a slip of paper. "Autograph then?"

"Yes, pwease," the little child whispered as Steve took the paper and politely signed it. His mother stood behind him, rather embarrassed. Steve smiled and wished them well as they left. Bucky stared at him, shocked.

"What?" Steve asked, wondering if there was something on his face.

"Nothing has changed."

"What?" Steve repeated, confused still.

"Your charisma. That transformation really did you good," Bucky answered softly, remembering when it first happened. Steve sighed and slumped.

"I just try and be nice," Steve whispered, embarrassed about it. Bucky sighed and sipped the coffee. Bucky made a face and nearly spit it out.

"Dear god that's sweet," he mumbled, taking off the lid. Steve chuckled.

"I thought you liked sugar in my coffee," Steve answered as Bucky wiped his mouth.

"I do, but I don't like coffee in my sugar!" Bucky stated, making Steve laugh. Bucky froze, unsure of what to do.

"Do you want me to get you another one?" Steve asked, calming down a little. Bucky shook his head and looked away. He hadn't heard Steve laugh in decades, and he forgot how to respond. Steve leaned back in his chair and looked out he window, smiling. "You'll get the hang of it again eventually. You were a fast learner."

"I hope so," Bucky whispered before choking down the sugar coffee.


End file.
